Play like Yanks, not Rays
CC no fan of Bombers’ surprise opener trick in ALDS
Even CC Sabathia did not like it. The former Yankee ace called out the Bombers for trying to be too smart in the ALDS against the Rays. Specifically he railed at the Yankees’ decision to use Deivi Garcia as a one-inning opener and then pull him for J.A. Happ after 27 pitches.
It was too Rays-like for Sabathia.
“We tried to play their game and they beat us at it and it ended up costing us the series, is how I feel about it,” Sabathia said on his podcast this weekend.
The move backfired and exposed the Yankees’ lack of pitching depth.
Sabathia, who is still employed by the Yankees as a special adviser to GM Brian Cashman, felt Garcia and Happ had earned the right to go out and start the playoff games without trying to be too cute.
“All we talk about is this kid’s character and how mature he is,” Sabathia said about the 21year-old Garcia, “and I feel it was a perfect time to let him rock, let (Masahiro Tanaka) rock, let J.A. Happ rock. Any one of those guys start the game and we score five runs, we win Game 2.”
Aaron Boone doubled down and defended the decision after Friday’s season-ending loss.
“No, I don’t regret the Game 2 (call),” he said. “I’m sure there will be people that take it to, if we just started a guy and went with him we win the game. That’s kind of ridiculous, all over the league, things like this are done and done really effectively, and we’ve done them really effectively. It was just a great back-and-forth series with another great team that has a chance to win a world championship.”
Except in the past, the Yankees have used Chad Green or Jonathan Loaisiga as the opener and another reliever for the bulk guy. They had done it in spring training and regular season games.
It was clear at least Happ did not buy into the idea, something he’s only tried once before in 2018. After the game on Tuesday, Happ said he made his feelings known to the Yankees before they tried it.
“Yeah, they know how I felt about it. But ultimately, I pitch when I pitch,” Happ said then. “You got me there with no hesitation and no dwelling on what was going on. I was focused and trying to perform. I wish I would have done a better job.”
Garcia gave up a home run to Randy Arozarena before getting out of the first. So Happ came into a tied game and then gave up a two-run homer to Mike Zunino in the second. Manuel Margot homered off Happ in the third for another two runs.
Happ, who had not pitched since Sept. 26, lasted just 2.2 innings before Boone had to go to his bullpen. Happ was charged with four earned runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out two.
Happ never looked comfortable Tuesday night, having come in for a “bulk,” or “piggyback,” role only once before.
The series — and the Yankees’ gamble on burning two starters on Tuesday night — exposed how little starting pitching depth they have. They came into the season expecting to have Luis Severino and James Paxton as their No. 2 and No. 3. Instead, Severino was out for the season after February Tommy John surgery. Paxton, who was outstanding in the playoffs last year, was still rehabbing a strained flexor in his left forearm when the season ended. Domingo German, who last pitched in September 2019, spent all season serving a suspension for violating MLB/ MLBPA’s joint domestic violence policy.
With Tanaka, Paxton and Happ, most likely walking as free agents this winter, the Yankees need to evaluate if Garcia and Clarke Schmidt will be enough depth in 2021 or if they need to add veteran starting depth.